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Divus Ensis
Overview of the Complex The Divus Ensis is the large building sitting to the Southwest of the Parthenon. It's inlaid doors face the founding spire, bordered by the shadows created by hatched, inlaid, and repeated molded bands that appear to be dragging you in the further you stare. Flanking these doors are large, curved staircases made of white marble, polished and glinting against the brilliant sunset--- the entrance to this sanctum of Valor. The steps sit thirty-feet above the ground floor of the city, basking in the eventual shade of the Monolith's rotunda as the sun rises. Upon the dais leading into the Divus are grand orders. Large, smooth pillars that reach into the peak of the complex's gold-leafed dome. The outer walls maintain a pattern of uniformed caryatids, nothing more than images of faceless muses, embellished by various symbols--- most of which were scales upon the arms, and delicately carved feathers about the left side of their nondescript faces. If one were to view the Divus Ensis from the very top of the Parthenon, they would notice that the building and all of its auxiliary segments seem to take on the silhouette of a flame. The Atrium Past the daunting entry is the atrium of the Divus Ensis: an expansive sweep of bichromatic tiles drawn in diagonal hatches across the entirety of this reach. Spanning the walls are the ornate and regal tapestries bearing various interpretations of various Illian-centric scenes. A tapestry of the Parthenon upon its creation, the Praetorian all in line behind the Proximus Vitem Mortem himself--- the Divine Creator and the Dread Father sprouting bloom and wizen alike. All of these tapestries command the space upon walls that are gilded at the crown moldings. There is a singular corridor that expands the berth of the building, leading into the Authoritatis Calami. The Authoritatis Calami The Authoritatis Calami, or "Branches of Authority" are the administrative offices belonging to the Temple's Militia. The segments of each of these rooms forms 'branches' from the main corridor, lending to its name. The leftmost segment of offices belongs to the following departments in this order (from first room, to last: ) the Receptus (The Recruitment Office), the Portisculus (The Office of Information Acquisition and Materials), and the Meridianus (The Office of Operational Arts.) All of these offices are responsible for the distribution of arms, supplies, and mission-relative information to the legions. The rightmost branches contain the official departments specifically tailored for each of the heirarchal branches of the military. In order, they house The Occisoris (The Operational Office of the Crusaders), The Praesidis (The Operational Office of the Templars), with the farthest two rooms acting as a meeting room for officiated conversations with various military personnel--- and the other, a meeting room specifically for meetings between the Proximus Vitem Mortem and the Primus Aetherius. Quies Oratrix The Quies Oratrix is a room seldom seen by many. It acts as the personal quarters of the Primus Aetherius: the highest ranking Military Officer within the Temple. After the restoration of the Divus Ensis, this chamber carries within it a wall-less sanctuary, segments of each room separated only by partitions and dual-toned fabrics. Upon one side, azure, the other, crimson. The room is not a dedication to Illian by any means, but solely a dedication to Sanctus Arduro and Invictus Tenebros. Corinthian pillars line the path towards the Primus' bed, encouraging ones eyes to look skyward to notice that the wall before the viewer was no normal wall, but instead, a carving of slate that was beveled, grooved, and smoothed to display two large effigies of a kite shield and a piercing blade crashing down towards the site of the bedroom. To the right is the blade of Invictus Tenebros; upon which the glint of steel bears the skeletons of the damned, the ichor of decay and the piercing rot of stagnancy. To the left, is a shield bearing the wings of the Sanctus Arduro and His ever nurturing presence. Within the width of the shield shows the gift of life: the rising sun, a thriving city--- the love of Man. Upon the point of impact, between these two foils, blooms flowers and bramble constricted upon the blade. And so too would death's touch whittle the petals that tried as they might to reach past the fuller, sending the putrefied remnants towards the embossed base molding.